Top Chinese celebrity: Debuted from Running Man

Chapter 314 Can't afford the paycheck? (6k)
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"What kind of surprise is this?"

Gu Qing couldn't help but think to herself, "Do we have to make dumplings even during the Lunar New Year?"

On the surface, however, he immediately broke into a perfectly timed smile of surprise, his eyes widening slightly as if struck by immense joy.

The Spring Festival Gala of today is no longer as glorious as it once was, and has lost its powerful ability to create stars.

The era when appearing on the Spring Festival Gala could elevate an artist's status and skyrocket their pay is now a pipe dream.

The only star that has been promoted in recent years is a crosstalk comedian, namely "Little Yueyue".

However, what made him incredibly famous was a variety show featuring comedians.

Moreover, with the "explosion" in the reputation of the Spring Festival Gala in recent years—too didactic, conservative in program quality, and lackluster in content presentation—almost no young people watch it anymore.

Even if you watch it, the internet is mostly filled with complaints and criticisms.

Many big-name celebrities actually don't want to participate: the pressure is immense, the benefits are minimal, so what's the point?

If the most important young audience isn't watching, then trying to please middle-aged and older viewers will do little to increase commercial value.

Middle-aged and elderly audiences are unlikely to buy tickets to support their commercial films.

However, I really couldn't refuse the invitation from the central government.

Even top-tier celebrities like Gu Qing are no exception.

"It's better to record a local TV station's New Year's Eve gala than to appear on the Spring Festival Gala," Gu Qing muttered to herself.

"Little Gu,"

Seeing Gu Qing's "surprised" expression, the director nodded in satisfaction and continued, "There are only six months left until the Spring Festival Gala. Our initial plan is to give you a solo performance stage."

He emphasized, "This is quite an honor! Many young artists like you sing with older artists."

You'd better put your heart into this opportunity.

"Don't worry, Director!" Gu Qing immediately straightened his back, gave a slightly awkward salute, and said in a firm and powerful tone, "I promise to dedicate myself to the cause until my dying breath!"

“There’s no need to go to so much trouble,” the director chuckled, gesturing with his hand. “But what song are you planning to sing that day? You’ll have to let us know in advance.”

He paused, then, as if remembering something, added, "By the way, forget about your song 'Farewell to the Nine Gates.' The subject matter and background of that song can't be shown on the Spring Festival Gala stage, and the overall tone is too tragic."

He looked at Gu Qing with a serious expression, "We must promote positive energy: positivity, optimism, family reunion, joy, and friendship. I believe you understand that."

Gu Qing could understand this and was not surprised.

No matter what, the song "Farewell to the Nine Gates" is still inextricably linked to the theme of tomb raiding, so it naturally cannot be promoted on the Spring Festival Gala.

"Director, how about 'Watching from the Wall'?" Gu Qing pondered for a moment and suggested, "This song is magnificent and can perfectly promote the grandeur of our Tang Dynasty and showcase the brilliance of our national culture."

He thought to himself, "This song must be pretty good. It has both ethnic culture and traditional elements, so it's guaranteed to be positive!"

“This song…” The director frowned and slowly shook his head, “is too noisy, I don’t really like it.”

He looked at Gu Qing's slightly surprised expression, "Could we change it to something else? Something upbeat, something warm?"

Gu Qing: "..."

"Director, what do you think of 'Just Met You'?"

Gu Qing had no choice but to resort to his ultimate move.

This song actually appeared on the Spring Festival Gala stage back then, and underwent the most rigorous review process. The melody is catchy, the theme is warm and beautiful, and the quality is absolutely top-notch.

"'Just Met You'?" The director's eyes lit up, and he nodded, "This song is good. I've heard it a few times, and it's very popular." He showed an appreciative look on his face.

Just when Gu Qing thought he had successfully passed the test,
The director changed the subject, his brow furrowing slightly again: "But... isn't this song a bit too old?"

He looked at Gu Qing and said, "It's been almost two years since you released it, hasn't it? Bringing it to this year's Spring Festival Gala stage, doesn't it seem a bit like... reheating old news?"

These days, the Spring Festival Gala is essentially a different director every year. Each new director is eager to prove their abilities through high viewership ratings.

This is why in the following years, various chaotic phenomena emerged, such as inviting internet celebrities and piling up tired jokes to appear on the Spring Festival Gala stage.

Every director wants to capture the hearts of young audiences, but unfortunately, judging what is "popular" and what is "abstract" requires talent.

Knowing which memes are still relevant and which are no longer popular requires accurate judgment.

Clearly, not every director possesses this ability.

"Director, well... I really have no songs left." Gu Qing said with a bitter face, spreading his hands as if he had run out of ideas.

"Xiao Gu, if you don't have any songs, you can write some!"

The director, however, seemed to have expected this. He patted Gu Qing on the shoulder forcefully, with an encouraging and matter-of-fact smile on his face. "You are now recognized as a young and promising creative talent!"
Writing a new song that fits the theme of the Spring Festival Gala is a piece of cake for you, isn't it?

He gestured with his fingers and began to make his demands:

"My requirements are not many: First, the lyrics must retain your unique classical beauty, avoid plain language, and be elegant and subtle. This is very important."
Secondly, the melody should be catchy, light, and cheerful, ideally the kind of tune that instantly lifts your spirits. It should be suitable for all ages; avoid anything that involves yelling or hitting high notes—that sounds awful.

He paused, seemingly feeling that it wasn't specific enough, and added: "Oh right, regarding the content of the song, I hope it can cleverly incorporate some traditional elements to showcase cultural heritage."

Secondly, add a touch of subtle, hazy, and beautiful love, like the feeling in your first song, "Just Met You".

Don't make it too heart-wrenching; keep it sweet and refreshing, so that young people who listen to this song will want to fall in love... and incidentally, make a small contribution to our country's two-child birth rate too.

The director finished reciting this long list of requirements in one breath, then stopped, still looking at Gu Qing with a smile: "Just these few requirements, Gu, do you think it's okay?"

Gu Qing: "..."

He was speechless for a moment, inwardly cursing: This is what you call a "small" request?! Are you trying to create a "miracle song" tailor-made for the Spring Festival Gala?!

Seeing that Gu Qing remained silent, the director assumed that he had tacitly agreed and nodded in satisfaction: "Okay! Xiao Gu, then it's settled."

Go back and work on your creative ideas. I'll give you two months to finish the first draft and the prototype.

I'll come back again later to report and get approval. For the next four months, I just need to wait for notification and come to rehearse occasionally.

……

Leaving the solemn CCTV headquarters, Gu Qing rushed to the airport to fly back to Shanghai to formally discuss the collaboration on "Nirvana in Fire" with the production team of Zhengwu Sunshine.

It must be said that Zhengwu Sunshine's team has shown great sincerity.

Directors Kong Sheng and Li Xue, producer Hou Hongliang, and core screenwriter Hai Yan, along with almost the entire senior production team of "Nirvana in Fire," gathered in the conference room of the company where Gu Qing works.

Gu Qinggang and his assistant walked into the conference room looking travel-worn, and several industry veterans warmly greeted them.

"Teacher Gu, it's an honor to meet you in person!" Director Kong Sheng extended his hand with a beaming smile.

"Seeing is believing. Teacher Gu's appearance and temperament are even more handsome and refined than on TV!" Director Li Xue exclaimed sincerely, his eyes full of admiration.

Although they were all more than a decade older than Gu Qing, it was still necessary to express the polite greetings and sincere compliments that were appropriate for a first meeting.

Zhengwu Sunshine is not as famous as it was a few years later.

Although they successfully produced two hit dramas, "The Disguiser" and "Ode to Joy," and accumulated some positive reviews, they have yet to produce a truly "phenomenal" blockbuster drama.

Within the industry, it is at best a boutique drama production studio with strength and ambition, but not a large scale.

Some second-tier artists with good development momentum may not even give priority to their dramas, let alone first-tier artists, or even top-tier celebrities like Gu Qing who are at the very top of the pyramid.

"Hello, Producer Hou, Director Kong, Director Li, and Teacher Hai." Gu Qing shook hands with each of them, his smile gentle and polite.

During the brief exchange of greetings, the two directors, screenwriter, and producer were all secretly and carefully observing Gu Qing, their eyes filled with increasing delight.

Gu Qing had just finished several days of intensive work and then traveled back and forth by plane to get back to the company, so her face naturally looked a little tired and haggard.

However, it was precisely this weariness that unintentionally added a touch of scholarly air and a faint sense of frailty to him—and this is the core and most important quality of the character Mei Changsu!
The Gu Qing before them perfectly matched the image of the brilliant scholar in their minds!

Their original plan was to cast Hu Ge as "Mei Changsu".

Firstly, Hu Ge was the male lead in "The Disguiser," which they created themselves, and he had a good working relationship with Liu Tao, the female lead in "Ode to Joy." Zhengwu Sunshine could also use the same male and female leads, making filming smooth and reassuring.
Secondly,

The serious car accident that Brother Hu suffered when he was young seems to have a subtle emotional connection with the background of Mei Changsu's rebirth.

However, upon seeing Gu Qing in person today, they were instantly swayed.

Gu Qing's innate aloofness and sickly scholarly air, coupled with his impeccable bone structure and appearance, further strengthened their determination to invite him to play Mei Changsu!

Both Gu Qing and Brother Hu can portray the frail and scholarly temperament.

However, in terms of the physical requirements of "divine appearance and outstanding looks" and "exquisitely handsome appearance", Gu Qing obviously has a natural advantage over the "Jiangzuo Mei Lang" in the original work, who could not hide his brilliance even after changing his appearance.

In his youth, Hu Ge cultivated a sunny idol image. Although his demeanor matured and his acting skills became increasingly refined after the car accident, his appearance remained somewhat less refined.

In today's fiercely competitive entertainment industry, he is no longer as dazzling as many young male artists, but relies more on his unique temperament, good acting skills and classic works to support him.

If someone were to actually portray the almost perfect, handsome Qilin Lang from the original novel, viewers would likely find it difficult to stay immersed in the story in the early episodes. Gu Qingze, however, doesn't seem to have this problem at all; he fits the bill perfectly. It seems the only remaining question is whether his acting skills will be proven.

But whether the acting is good or not can only be determined when filming actually begins.

"Please wait a moment, everyone,"

When Gu Qing saw her agent Li Li enter the conference room, she said apologetically to the Zhengwu Sunshine team, "I just caught a plane back and I'm a bit travel-worn. I'll go back, wash my face, change my clothes, and come right back."

He pointed to his slightly disheveled hair and casual clothes.

"It's alright, it's alright, Teacher Gu, please go ahead, we're not in a hurry." Hou Hongliang and the others quickly smiled and nodded, their attitude very humble.

Gu Qing's gentle, polite, and neither humble nor arrogant manner made them even more delighted and satisfied.

Right now, the production team at Zhengwu Sunshine is satisfied, but Gu Qing's company representative—his agent Li Li—doesn't have a smile on her face.

She sat down decisively in the main seat, her sharp gaze sweeping over the people opposite her, and asked concisely and to the point:
"We are very grateful for the sincerity of all the teachers. So, how much will you pay my artist for starring in this film?" The tone carried the assertiveness of a professional agent.

"price……"

Hou Hongliang and the others exchanged glances, all feeling an invisible pressure. "Sister Li, I wonder what Teacher Gu's current market salary for a film is..." he asked tentatively, his tone cautious.

Li Li didn't speak, but simply raised a slender index finger expressionlessly.

"Ten million?!" A look of surprise flashed across Hou Hongliang and the others' faces. This price was far more "affordable" than they had expected!
You could even say they "found a bargain"!

A glimmer of hope flashed in Director Kong's eyes.

"Ten million?" Li Li rolled her eyes without any politeness, as if she had heard a joke.

Her voice rose a few decibels, "Are you treating me like a beggar?!" She uttered three words decisively: "One hundred million!"

"How much?!" Hou Hongliang, Kong Sheng, and Li Xue's pupils suddenly contracted, as if they had been struck by lightning. The conference room instantly fell silent, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

They simply couldn't believe their ears!

One hundred million? !
It's hard to say whether their total production cost for "Nirvana in Fire" even reached 100 million! What a joke!
Who could afford to hire that?!
"Sister Li, you...you're not kidding, are you? It really is one hundred million?" Hou Hongliang's voice trembled as he asked incredulously, confirming the amount again.

Director Kong's expression also turned extremely ugly.

"Kris Wu can now earn 80 million for a movie,"

Li Li crossed her arms, leaned forward slightly, and looked at him with scrutiny and unquestionable eyes, "In what way is our artist's status, popularity, or commercial value lower than his?"

Is taking 100 million really that excessive?

She snorted and began listing the value, "Do you know how many investors will come to you with their money once the news is announced that my artist has been confirmed to play the male lead in 'Nirvana in Fire'?"

How many video platforms would be willing to spend a fortune to snatch your exclusive premiere rights?

She paused, her tone carrying a hint of assertive certainty, "To put it bluntly, even before your drama officially starts filming and airs, just based on the influence of my artists joining the cast..."

You'll be able to recoup most of the film's costs, including his salary, upfront!

"..." Hou Hongliang and the others fell silent. Li Li's words, though harsh, did indeed strike at the heart of reality.

Gu Qing's top-tier influence is terrifying; his joining is a huge commercial guarantee in itself.

But... asking them to immediately pull out a hundred million in cash? That's simply impossible!
Even if Gu Qing can help them earn the money back later, it will take until the drama is finished filming, the editing is completed, and the platform's purchase payment is received... It could take half a year or even a year.

Who can fill this huge financial hole? Who dares to fill it?
Just as the atmosphere was at a standstill and the negotiations were about to reach a dead end, the meeting room door was pushed open.

After quickly washing her face and changing into a clean and crisp T-shirt, Gu Qing finally felt a bit more refreshed and walked in with a gentle smile.

He keenly noticed the almost frozen silence in the conference room and the various expressions on everyone's faces, and asked in confusion, "What's wrong? Directors, is there... is there something I've done that you're not satisfied with?"

"Teacher Gu, you're joking! How could we possibly be dissatisfied with you!"

Hou Hongliang immediately stood up, a wry smile on his face, and waved his hands repeatedly, "We sincerely hope that you can play Mei Changsu!"

He sighed, his tone becoming heavy and helpless, "It's just... a hundred million in salary, we... we really can't afford it."

"Huh? One hundred million?!"

Gu Qing was also stunned by the number and froze on the spot.

After he realized what was happening, he turned sharply to look at Li Li, his eyes filled with shock and questioning: "Sister Li, this... this is what you said?"

He never expected Li Li to ask for such a high price.

"Xiao Gu, I... I was just using a negotiation tactic!"

Li Li forced a smile and tried to salvage the situation, saying, "That's just how the market works! At worst... you can give me 80 million! That'll be the same salary as Chris Wu, is that alright now?"

She took a step back, but her tone remained firm.

“Sister Li,” Hou Hongliang’s bitter smile deepened, “Chris Wu was able to get 80 million because he’s in the film industry, working with big directors, big productions, and big casts, with investments often in the hundreds of millions or even billions.”

Investors can certainly afford this salary.

But our "Nirvana in Fire" is just a TV series project that hasn't even started filming yet. Its scale, budget, and market expectations are nowhere near the level of a movie.

"We...we really can't come up with that much money." His tone was full of sincerity and helplessness.

“Then just be frank,” Li Li frowned, clearly not buying into the other party’s “pleading poverty”. “What’s the highest salary you can offer? Stop beating around the bush.”

“Thirty…thirty million.” Hou Hongliang took a deep breath, made a difficult gesture, and his voice was weak.

Even Gu Qing slowly shook his head. He looked at Hou Hongliang, his tone calm but with an unquestionable bottom line: "Producer Hou, thirty million... is indeed too little."

He admitted that "Nirvana in Fire" is a rare good drama and that he really wanted to act in it.

But if he were to accept the lead role for only 30 million yuan, that would be too greedy and completely inconsistent with his current market value.

He was certain that as soon as the news of his joining the show was released, the three major platforms would offer no less than 30 million yuan to compete for the unbroadcast rights to "Nirvana in Fire"!
The direct and indirect revenue that a top-tier celebrity can generate for a TV series is in the hundreds of millions.

The scripts currently being handed to him don't offer less than 50 million in salary.

He wouldn't act if he were really offered 30 million. It's not just about money; it's also about market positioning and industry rules.

Seeing that Gu Qing had finally stood by his side and hadn't compromised without principle just because of a "good script,"
A huge weight was lifted from Li Li's heart, and a relieved smile finally appeared on her face. She thought to herself, "My child has really grown up! He knows how to protect his own value!"

"Teacher Gu, please don't rush, I haven't finished speaking yet."

Seeing that Gu Qing's attitude was clear, Hou Hongliang knew that 30 million was indeed not attractive, so he quickly offered an alternative, "Of course we know that a salary of only 30 million is definitely not enough to invite an artist of your caliber to join us."

Therefore, we plan to offer you a revenue-sharing contract in addition to your base salary!

"A revenue-sharing contract?" Gu Qing's eyes flickered slightly as she asked curiously, "Is it similar to the box office revenue sharing in movies?"

He had signed a box office revenue sharing contract with Chen Sicheng during the filming of "Detective Chinatown" (receiving 10% for zero pay), so he was no stranger to this.

His brother Baoqiang is at 6%.

Back then, Huang Bo received 4% of the box office revenue from Lost in Thailand.

Wang Baoqiang now wants to make amends for his past grievances against Xu Guangtou.

……

“That’s right!” Hou Hongliang perked up when he saw that Gu Qing seemed interested, and explained in detail, “The revenue sharing for movies is calculated based on box office revenue. The revenue sharing for TV series mainly comes from advertising revenue during the broadcast period and subsequent VIP on-demand revenue from online platforms.”

He emphasized his point and stated the core condition: "We are willing to offer 10% of the **net revenue** (after deducting platform commissions, promotional costs, etc.) generated after the show airs as an additional share of your earnings!"
Furthermore, Mr. Gu, as long as this film continues to generate revenue, whether through reruns, on-demand viewing, or other channels, you will receive a 10% share of the profits every year!

He looked intently at Gu Qing, emphasizing the two key points: "every year" and "long term".

The revenue sharing from TV dramas naturally cannot compare to the hundreds of millions in box office revenue sharing from movies. While 10% may seem like a high percentage,
However, the actual amount received is only about 3%-4% of the revenue from a mid-grossing film.

The only thing Zhengwu Sunshine seemed to have the guts to do was promise "long-term revenue sharing"—as long as the show was still airing and making money, Gu Qing would continue to receive a share of the profits, which was indeed a very generous offer.

"I……"

Gu Qing's eyes lit up instantly, as if they were sparkling with starlight.

Among those present, even Hou Hongliang himself probably didn't understand as much as Gu Qing, this "experienced person," about how popular "Nirvana in Fire" would become and its enduring long-tail effect!

This annual 10% commission will definitely be an extremely considerable and continuous source of wealth!

This is much more attractive in the long run than receiving tens of millions in one-time payment!
"Excuse me!"

Li Li frowned, stepped forward, decisively grabbed Gu Qing's arm, and pulled him out of the meeting room. "We need to discuss the specific details and risks of this profit-sharing plan separately outside!"

Hou Hongliang and the others were left in the meeting room, looking at each other anxiously, waiting for the final decision.

……

……

(End of this chapter)